US plans propaganda campaign in Iran

The Bush administration made an emergency request to Congress on Feb. 15 for a seven-fold increase in funding to mount the biggest-ever propaganda campaign against the Iranian government, in a further sign of the worsening crisis between Iran and the West. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the $75 million in extra funds, on top of $10 million already allocated for later this year, would be used to broadcast US radio and television programs into Iran, help pay for Iranians to study in the US, and support pro-democracy groups inside the country. Although US officials acknowledge the limitations of such a campaign, the State Department is determined to press ahead with measures that include extending the government-run Voice of America's Farsi service from a few hours a day to round-the-clock coverage. The sudden budget request, which follows an outlay of only $4 million over the last two years, is to be accompanied by a diplomatic drive by Rice to discuss Tehran's alleged nuclear weapons program. She is to begin with a visit to Gulf states. Rice told the Senate foreign affairs committee that Iranian leaders "have now crossed a point where they are in open defiance of the international community." She added: "The United States will actively confront the aggressive policies of the Iranian regime. At the same time, we will work to support the aspirations of the Iranian people for freedom and democracy in their country." The US is to increase funds to Iranian non-governmental bodies that it says will promote democracy, human rights and trade unionism. It began funding such bodies last year for the first time since Washington broke off ties with Iran in 1980. A US official said all existing citizens' groups and non-governmental organizations in Iran had been heavily infiltrated by the Tehran government, so the US would seek to help build new dissident networks. US officials depicted the new spending as just one side of a multifaceted diplomatic offensive aimed at increasing pressure on Tehran. They said Rice would make Iran a focal point of her talks with Middle East leaders in her tour next week, put it center-stage at the upcoming G8 meeting in Moscow, and call a meeting of political directors from the NATO alliance in late March or April solely to talk about policy towards Iran. US propaganda efforts in the Middle East since the Sept. 11 attacks have been relatively unsuccessful. Analysts say its Arabic news station al-Hurra (the Free One) is widely regarded with suspicion in the Middle East and has few listeners.